Inmarsat has recently launched its maritime safety data hub aimed at enhancing the quality of information in the shipping industry. This hub combines emergency contact data from the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) with new analyses of maritime safety broadcasts.
Data Analysis and Maritime Hazards
This platform provides unique insights into global shipping hazards and helps identify patterns and trends. This information adds to the understanding of the impacts of environmental hazards, operational pressures, and geopolitical instabilities on maritime safety.
In 2025, out of a total of 106,975 maritime safety broadcasts, 2.6 percent were marked as "urgent." Inmarsat has analyzed that 84.6 percent of these cases relate to weather conditions, with storms and severe weather accounting for 75 percent and 20 percent of weather hazards, respectively. Interestingly, although tropical storms comprise only 4 percent of these hazards, they are responsible for over 99 percent of weather-related emergency messages.
Weather Risk Management and Crew Training
Inmarsat's research shows that, on average, about 10 weather warnings are broadcast in the 12 hours preceding any emergency event. This indicates a clear relationship between hazardous weather conditions and increased operational risks.
Olli Soninen, Head of Programs at Fintraffic VTS, noted that a storm is not equally dangerous for every vessel, and various factors including size, type, capabilities, and operational conditions of the ship are influential. Access to more accurate data regarding ships' vulnerabilities to severe weather conditions can help crews avoid emergency situations.
According to Professor Momoko Kitada, Head of the Department of Maritime Education at the World Maritime University, simulators can replicate various scenarios so that crews can respond to challenges without having to wait for such conditions to occur at sea.
While Inmarsat received fewer GMDSS calls (741 calls) in 2025 compared to 2023 and 2024 (788 and 801 calls respectively), this trend generally aligns with historical averages over the past three years and reflects ongoing safety challenges in the shipping industry.
In 2025, emergency activities were more concentrated among large commercial vessels operating in global trade and energy corridors. Tankers accounted for the most calls with 203, while cargo ships, bulk carriers, offshore vessels, and container ships followed in the rankings.
Laurent Parenté, Director General of the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO), emphasized that the stability in Inmarsat's GMDSS data does not indicate a lack of improvement but rather reflects changes in existing hazards.
Inmarsat is helping the maritime industry adopt a more proactive approach to risk management by reviewing new threats that include digital warfare, interference, and manipulation of global navigation signals. John Dad, Head of Maritime Safety at Inmarsat, stated that the value of maritime safety information lies in providing ships and shipping operators with the necessary time to make informed decisions.
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